What is the JENESYS Programme?

The JENESYS Programme (Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths) is a project advanced by the Japanese government from the standpoint of providing a sound foundation for strong solidarity within Asia through large-scale youth exchange.

For a five-year period since 2007, we are carrying out exchange programmes aimed at promoting mutual understanding and friendly relations.

As one of the implementing organizations for this programme, JICE (Japan International Cooperation Center) is in charge of conducting the programme in cooperation with various local governments, schools, and international exchange organizations in each area.

The programme has three types of specific projects: acceptance (invitation), dispatch, and exchange.Please refer to the following explanation for details.

(1) Acceptance Programme (Invitation)

[ Overview ]

JENESYS is an exchange programme to invite approximately 6,000 youths from overseas to Japan every year with a view towards promoting mutual understanding and friendship with Japanese youths and citizens.

JICE has been conducting a short-term invitation programme, inviting 3,000 to 4,000 youngsters to Japan each year.

A group of approximately 30 to 200 youths visits Japan and stays for around 10 days; first participating in a common programme in Tokyo, and then dividing into subgroups of 20 to 30 youths, each joining a local programme. Group programmes are mainly composed of school visits and home stays to promote mutual understanding, friendship, and trust through firsthand exchange with Japanese students and local residents. For some specific fields, we also offer programmes that combine exchange and training.

[ JICE Operations ]

1.Planning of Invitation Schedule
Discussion is held with the concerned government organizations of the invited countries and the Embassy of Japan to confirm invitation schedules.

2.Selection of the Invitees, Travel Arrangements, and Pre-departure Orientation
Selection is carried out with the cooperation of the above-mentioned organizations. After the invitees are selected, support for the acquisition of an entry visa to Japan is provided for participants. Before travel to Japan, pre-departure orientation is held for the participants to provide information about Japan. In order to alleviate participants' worries about language difficulties, Programme Coordinators specializing in the respective languages provide explanations during the orientation.

3.Planning and Adjustment of Programme in Japan
Through our nationwide network of branch offices and with the cooperation of local communities, schools, and international exchange groups in Japan, international exchange programmes including school visits, home stays, local interaction, workshops, Japanese culture experience, and visits to facilities are planned.

4.Programme Arrangement
Arrangements of lecturers, facilities to visit, transportation, meals, and accommodations shall be made to suit the various cultures, religions, customs, and ages of participants.

5.Programme Management
From the time the participants arrive in Japan until their return to their respective countries, the Programme Coordinators lead the participants as a group through the programme. Our staff takes care of the visiting youths with the greatest concern for safety management so that they may participate in the exchange programme without worry and return to their home countries safely.

[ Programme Track Record ]

University students from the Philippines (Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Nagano, Aichi, Hyogo, and Yamaguchi)
High school students from Indonesia (Fukushima, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Okinawa)

May:

University students from the Philippines (Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, and Saga)
High school students from India (Ibaraki, Tokyo, Hyogo, and Okinawa)
Young adult workers from Australia (Trip around Japan)
High school students from the ten ASEAN countries and East Timor
(Hokkaido, Miyagi, Ibaraki, Niigata (the Chubu region), (the Kansai region) Hyogo, (the Chugoku region), Fukuoka, and Okinawa)
High school students from Thailand who study Japanese (Miyagi, Aichi, Shiga, and Yamaguchi)

June:

High school students from Malaysia (Saitama, (the Chubu region) and Kyoto)
Young adult workers from New Zealand (Trip around Japan)
Workers, university students, and high school students from India (Yamagata, Ibaraki, Yamanashi, Saitama, Gifu, Aichi, Osaka, (the Kansai region), Hyogo, (the Chugoku region), Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Miyazaki, Okinawa, and trip around Japan)
High school students from Indonesia (Hokkaido, Mie, Ehime, and Okinawa)
High school and junior high school students from Vietnam (Yamagata, (the Kansai region), (the Chugoku region) and Fukuoka)

(2) Dispatch Programme

[ Overview ]

The dispatch programme is a short-term programme of dispatching Japanese youths to East Asian countries.
JICE oversees dispatching programmes to each of the ASEAN countries.

A group of 10 to 15 youths is dispatched, stays in the host country for around 10 days, and engages in international exchanges with students of the host school. By observing the city and participating in local activities, the participant will be able to not only learn the history, culture, and industry of the host country in a comprehensive manner, but also promote greater understanding about Japan's role as a developed country by visiting sites where Japan's ODA is provided. This programme is mainly composed of firsthand exchange and discussions with youths and local people of the host countries to promote further mutual understanding, friendship, and trust.

[Morning] Visit to JENESYS dispatch school Part 2[Afternoon] Visit to industrial facilities

Local cities

9th Day

Wed.

Preparation for returning home / receptionTraveling from host country to Narita

On board

10th Day

Thu.

Arrival at Narita in the morningDiscussion of the outcome of the visit

Tokyo

11th Day

Fri.

Report session with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of JapanEnd of Programme

[ JICE Operations ]

1.Planning of Dispatch Schedule
Before dispatching participants to their host countries, discussion is held with the concerned government organizations of the host countries and the Embassy of Japan to confirm the dispatch schedules.

2.Selection of Students to be Dispatched, Travel Arrangements, and Pre-Departure Orientation
Selection is carried out. After the students to be dispatched are selected, support for acquisition of an entry visa to the host country is provided for participants. Before traveling to the host country, a pre-departure orientation is held to provide information about the host country.

3.Planning and Adjustment of Programme
With the cooperation of the concerned government organizations of the host countries and the Embassy of Japan, local communities and schools in host countries, international exchange programmes including school visits, training camps, local interaction, workshops, cultural experiences, and visits to facilities are planned.

4.Programme Arrangement
Arrangement of lecturers, facilities to visit, transportation, meals, and accommodations shall be made to suit various cultures, religions, customs and ages of participants.

5.Programme Management
From the time the participants leave Japan until they return, the Programme Coordinators specializing in the respective languages lead the participants in a group through the programme. Our staff takes care of the visiting youths with the greatest concern for safety management so that they may participate in the exchange programme without worry and return to Japan safely.

[ Programme Track Record ]

[ Latest Dispatch Programmes (Planned) ]

(3) Exchange Programme

Overview (Programme Example: Japan-ASEAN Student Conference)

JICE manages the Japan-ASEAN Student Conference, which is one of its exchange programme.

The Japan-ASEAN Student Conference is a programme to promote the establishment of networks and mutual understanding, and to arouse the interest of youths who will bear the future of exchange between Japan and other East Asian countries. Training-camp style programmes, which are mainly composed of discussions about the future of cooperation in East Asia, are held and youths& proposals and/or reports on the discussion topic are made and presented at the report session.

After working with the pre-departure assignments, the youths participate in the programme and stay together in a training camp for around 7 days. Through visits to topic-related facilities and interaction with local citizens, the youths repeat their discussions.

Based on the network established from this programme, a JENESYS alumni network composed of former acceptance and dispatch programme participants is expected to be established, and we hope that they will eventually bear the future of private-sector exchanges between Japan and other East Asian countries.